Apparatus for making pile fabric



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ATTORNEY United States Patent APPARATUS FOR i i TAKING PILE FABRIC Leslie A. Runton, Harrison, and Walter G. Bejeuhr, Mount Vernon, N. Y., assignors to Alexander Smith, Incorporated, Yonkers, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 19, 1955, Serial No. 529,418

8 Claims. (Cl. 154-1.1)

This invention relates to an apparatus for making pile fabric of the type wherein the pile is adhesively secured to a backing, and has for an object to provide an apparatus of the above type having novel and improved characteristics.

The apparatus according to the present invention provides mechanism for forming pile loops and adhesively securing the loops to a backing by the use of heat and pressure in a continuous operation.

A feature of the invention is the provision of means wherein the pile tufts after being once formed are hel in the forming mechanism until they are secured to the backing, thereby eliminating the possibility of the pile loops or tufts from becoming deformed or displaced before they are attached. A uniform product is thus assured.

The apparatus is adapted to the production of wide pile carpet such as broadloom carpet having a width of eighteen feet. The machine is so designed and constructed and the mechanism is so arranged that wide fabrics of the above type can be produced without introducing mechanical difiiculties.

In the present machine the pile loops are formed from a sheet of pile warp with the loops extending downwardly and with the yarn between the loops disposed on rigid supporting members in a position to receive the backing material. The rigid supporting members permit the necessary pressure to be applied for securing the pile elements to the backing material and are also adapted to carry the pile loops with the backing material secured thereto through a heating zone for drying, curing or vulcanizing the adhesive so as to form a permanent bond.

The backing material may comprise a woven or nonwoven fabric, or a rubber or rubber-like composition or a foam or sponge as required.

The machine in accordance with the present invention includes mechanism for withdrawing the sheet of pile yarn from a beam or creel and feeding the same to a loop forming station over a pile forming apron which is composed of a plurality of individual T-shaped elements or links joined to form an endless conveyor. Spaces are provided between the links to receive the pile loops. The loops are formed by dropping a pile forming wire onto the yarn sheet and into the space between successive links, so as to pull the yarn downwardly into said spaces to form loops. The pile wires and loops are then held within the spaces between links of the pile forming apron with the yarn extending acros the tops of the links which form a rigid support therefor.

While the pile loops are held in this manner a backing material is applied across the exposed face of the yarn on the rigid support and is adhesively secured thereto. The pile forming wires are then pulled out of the loops endwise by suitable transfer mechanism and are transferred to a return conveyor by which they are returned for use at the loop forming station.

The pile forming apron is made sufliciently long to 2,770,283 Patented Nov. 13, 1956 provide a station for receiving the backing material and a dwell for curing the adhesive.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which a specific embodiment has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of an apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3A is an enlarged view of the transfer mechanism at the pile forming end of the machine with parts in section;

Fig. 3B is a view similar to Fig. 3A taken from the discharge end of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line l-4 of Fig. 3A;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the wire transfer mechanism;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views showing the different positions of the conveyors;

9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the return conveyor; and

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line lit-10 of Fig. 9.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3A and 3B, the pile forming apron or conveyor 10 is shown as comprising a plurality of T-shaped links 12 having vertical flanges 13 and short horizontal T flanges 14. The vertical flanges 13 terminate at the bottom in loops 16 which extend in alternate directions and are interleaved with the corrc sponding loops of the adjacent links 12 and secured by pins Toto form a hinge. Successive links 12 are then joined to form an endless conveyor.

The links 1.2 extend for the full width of the fabric to be produced. The distance of the successive pins from center-line to center-line determine the spacing of the pile rows of the fabric.

The Width of the top members 14 corresponds to the spacing of successive rows of pile loops less the thickness of two pile yarns.

The loops 16 of the various links 112 are shown as embedded in a belt or apron 17 of soft material such as Neoprene which forms a backing and support for the conveyor 10. The conveyor ltl extends around rolls 1% and 19, one of which may be driven at a suitable rate of speed by suitable means not shown.

The Tshaped links 12 in passing around the circumference of the roll 18 become separated to provide space therebetwcen to receive the pile loops and the pile forming wire to be described. They are also separated as they pass around the circumference of the roll 19 to release the pile loops.

A sheet of pile forming warp ends 20 is withdrawn from a creel or beam 21 and passes over an oscillating rod 22 which is mounted on a bell crank lever 23 fixed to shaft 24 and carrying a roller 25 engaging a cam slot 26 in a cam 27 which is driven in synchronism with the drive of the conveyor 10. The rod 2 2 is oscillated to provide slack for forming pile loops 29, and to maintain the yarn sheet taut after the pile loop has been formed.

The yarn sheet 2 9, after passing over the rod 22, is laid over the tops 14 of the links 12. The pile forming yarns 26 extend through a comb or reed 28 of standard construction carried by the rod 22 to maintain the yarn ends in proper spaced relationship across the width of the carpet.

Referring to Fig. 2 a backing material 11% is fed from a roll 111 around a pressure roll 112 and is laid on the exposed areas of the pile warp on the conveyor 19. A spray of adhesive may be applied to the: pile warp from nozzles 113 in advance of the roll 112 and by nozzles M4,

3 beyond the roll 112 so that adhesive is applied to both sides of the backing 110.

If a foam of synthetic rubber-like material or latex is to be applied to the backing the nozzles 113 and 114 may be used to spray the foam to form a foam layer in which the backing 110 is embedded. Of course one or the other of the nozzles 113 and 114 may be omitted according to the product desired.

The conveyor with the backing 110 and adhesive or foam passes through a heating zone provided by a bank of infra red lights 115 in a reflector shield 116 to dry or cure the adhesive or to cure the foam. A hood 117 having a suction pipe 118 connected to a suitable fan not shown may be provided to remove the vapor.

The ejector conveyor 30 which is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3B is generally similar to the pile forming conveyor 10 above described, but is shorter than the pile forming conveyor and extends over the pile forming stations of the pile forming conveyor 10. The ejector conveyor 30 comprises a plurality of U-shaped links 31 having parallel flange 32 and 33 provided respectively with oppositely extending hinge loops 34 and 35. The hinge loops of adjacent links are interleaved and are connected by a series of hinge pins 36. The loops 34 and 35 and the hinge pins 36 are interrupted at regular intervals throughout their length to form air passages 37 Figs. 4 and 9. The hinge loops 34 and 35 are embedded in and bound to a conveyor belt 38 of material such as Neoprene having openings 39 which register with the air passages 37 and are disposed between successive links 31. The conveyor 30 passes around rolls 63 and 64 one of which is driven in synchronism with the conveyor 10.

Air projecting the pile forming wire (to be described) is supplied to the ejector station through an air duct 41 and through passages 52 to valve chambers 53 in a valve block 42 containing valve plungers 43 having grooves 44 for the passage of air and spring-pressed by springs 45 against valve seats 46. Plungers 43 are provided with pins 47 which extend beyond the valve block 42 and bear against operating fingers 48 pivoted on a rod 49. The fingers 48 are oscillated by means of a cam formed by a shaft having inserts 51 which extend beyond the periphery of the shaft and are adapted to engage and actuate the fingers 48 for opening the air valves.

When the air valves are open air passes from chamber 41 through passages 52 into valve chambers 53, thence through outlet passages 54 which register with passages 37. The air passages 37 serve to forcibly eject the pile forming wire to be described.

Pile forming wires 58 are of a size in section to be held between successive U-shaped links 31 of the ejector conveyor 30 as shown in Fig. 3A and are of a length to extend across the entire width of the warp sheet (Fig. 4) with head portions 59 projecting beyond the edge of the pile forming and ejector conveyors. The Wires 58 may have a cutting knife 60 at their trailing ends if cut tufts are to be formed. The head portions 59 of the wires 58 comprise upwardly extending flanges forming shoulders 78 and 71. The wire 58 extends beyond the head 59 to form a tip 72 to be gripped by a stabilizing conveyor to be described.

A return conveyor 75 which is similar to the ejector conveyor 30 is provided with -U-shaped links 76 connected by hinge pins 77 to form an endless conveyor and secured to a belt 78 of Neoprene or the like. This conveyor is similar to the ejector conveyor 30 except that the air passages are omitted and each hinge pin 77 extends entirely across the conveyor. The return conveyor 75 passes at one end over a roll 79 which is disposed in alignment with the roll 63 of the ejector conveyor. From the roll 79 it passes over a deflector member 81 so as to provide clearance for wire-heads at the ejector station, thence under a guide roll 82 and around a drive roll 83 mounted above and to one side of the roll of the conveyor 10. The rolls 63 and 83 are provided with guards 84 and 85 to confine the pile forming wires and to prevent them from falling out from between the U-shaped links 31 and 76 as the respective belts pass around the end rolls.

The lower flight of the return conveyor is disposed alongside of and in alignment with the upper flight of the pile forming conveyor.

At the end of the device where the upper flight of the return conveyor 75 is disposed along side of and in alignment with the upper flight of the ejector conveyor 30 a transfer chain 91 is provided which extends across the return conveyor 75 and is provided with lugs 93 which engage the shoulders 59 of the wires 58 to transfer the wires from the return conveyor 75 onto the ejector conveyor 30. The transfer chain 91 extends at an angle across the face of the return conveyor and is driven at a speed such that the linear component of the lugs 93 corresponds to the rate of lateral movement of the wires 58 on the two conveyors.

The pile forming wires are pulled from the pile forming conveyor 10 onto the return conveyor 75 by a transfer chain which extends diagonally across the lower side of the return conveyor 75 and is similar to the transfer chain 91. The chain 90 is provided with lugs not shown to engage the shoulders 59 of the wires 58 and pull the wires from the pile forming conveyor onto the lower flight of the return conveyor 75 where the wires are gripped and held adjacent U-shaped links 76. The transfer chain 90 is disposed to pull the conveyor 10 before wires from the pile loops and from the roll 19 is reached.

A narrow stabilizing conveyor is disposed adjacent the top flight of the pile forming conveyor to engage and support the heads 59 of the wires 58 for stabilizing the heads as the wires are advanced by the pile forming conveyor 10. The auxiliary stabilizing conveyor 100 is similar in construction to the return conveyor 75 above described except that it is comparatively narrow. This conveyor passes around the roll 18 at one end and around a roll 191 at the other end. The roll 101 is disposed lower than the path of the pile forming conveyor 10 so that the stabilizing conveyor 100 slopes downwardly away from the path of the pile forming conveyor. The return conveyor has a similar slope so that the return conveyor is in a position to receive the wires bythe time the heads 59 are released by the stabilizing conveyor 100. The stabilizing conveyor thus provides clearance at the transfer station for the transfer chain 90 to pull the wires from the pile forming conveyor.

In the operation of this device a sheet of pile yarns 20 is taken from a suitable beam or creel 21, is passed through the reed 28 on the oscillating bar 22 and is laid over the top pieces 14 of the T-shaped links 12 on the pile forming conveyor 10. The yarn 20 is applied to the links 12 while the links are in opened up position passing around the roll 18 so as to provide clearance therebetween to receive the pile loops and the pile forming wires.

As the links reach the ejector station beneath the ejector conveyor 30 the inserts 51 of the shaft engage the fingers 48 to open the air valves and cause the pile forming wires 58 to be ejected downwardly onto the yarns held across the links 12 and to force the yarns downwardly between the links in the form of loops 29. The oscillator bar 22 maintains the yarn tight and provides slack for forming the loops as required.

As the pile forming conveyor 10 advances in a straight path after passing the roll 18, the heads 14 of the links 12 are brought together and clamp the yarn therebetween at the base of the loops, thereby securing the loops 29 and the pile wires 58 against displacement or deformation and forming a rigid support for the portions of the pile yarns joining successive loops.

As the pile forming conveyor 10, with the pile loops secured therein, advances a backing material is fed from a roll 111 under the squeeze roll 112 and is adhesively secured to the pile yarn on the pile forming conveyor. The pile forming conveyor carrying the pile loops 29 with the backing 110 attached thereto then passes under the heaters 115 by which heat is applied for drying or setting adhesive, or in the case of latex or foam, for curing the backing.

The backing material with the pile loops secured thereto is stripped from the pile-forming conveyor 10 as the conveyor passes around the roll 19 as shown in Fig. 3B where the links spread so as to release the pile loops.

Before the conveyor 10 reaches the roll 19 the pile wires 58 are pulled out of the loops 29 by the transfer chain 9t) and are transferred to the return conveyor 75 where they are gripped between U-shaped links 76 and fed to the second transfer station where they are transferred by the transfer chain 91 to the ejector conveyor 30. As this return apron feedsaround the roll 83 the wires are prevented from falling out of the conveyor by guide members 85.

The pile wires are carried along the upper flight of the return conveyor 75 until they reach the transfer station where they are then pulled endwise out of the return conveyor by the transfer chain 91 into the links 31 of the ejector conveyor 30.

The wires advance in the ejector conveyor 30 until they reach the ejection station in registration with the air passages 54 where they are again ejected to form another row of pile loops and repeat the above described cycle.

In order to prevent the overhanging heads 59 of the pile forming wires 58 from vibration as they advance with the pile forming conveyor, a narrow stabilizing conveyor 109 is provided, having spaced links 102 which are positioned to grip the overhanging heads 59 of the pile wires 58 and to secure and to support the same. This conveyor 160 extends from a point beyond the pile forming station, along the upper flight of the pile forming conveyor 10, to a point in advance of the transfer station. The stabilizing conveyor 100 is fed along a downwardly inclined path so that it gradually releases the heads 59 before the transfer station is reached. The return conveyor 75 is fed along a correspondingly downwardly in clined path to be in a position to receive the pile wires at the transfer station.

It will be understood that if the machine is to be used for making cut pile tufts the pile forming wires 58 will be provided with knives 60 at their trailing ends so that the pile loops are cut as the wires are withdrawn.

The machine is not restricted to any specific type of backing as the pile forming conveyor is adapted to support the pile yarns while a backing is applied and adhesively secured while a foam backing is applied and to support the same until the adhesive has been dried or set or until the foam has been set or cured. The ap' paratus can be operated at higher speeds than the usual looms producing carpets of equal width. The fabric may be made of any width desired as the conveyors are supported along their entire width and the speed of operation is limited only by mechanical considerations.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for making pile fabric, comprising a pile forming conveyor having a series of connected links each link extending transversely across the fabric, said links having flat upper surfaces to support a sheet of pile yarn and having spaces therebetween for receiving pile loops, means feeding a sheet of pile yarns across said yarn supporting surfaces with said links spaced to permit the passage of the yarn downwardly therebetween for forming pile loops, an ejector station above said conveyor, means feeding a series of pile forming wires to said ejector station, ejector means at said station to eject said wires in suc cession into the space between successive links of said pile forming conveyor for thereby forcing the pile yarn into said spaces to form pile loops, means advancing said pile forming conveyor with said links closed to grip Said yarn therebetween and with said flat upper surfaces forming a support for the pile yarn, means attaching a backing material to the pile yarn carried on said support, and means withdrawing said pile forming wires lengthwise from said loops after said backing has been attached to said loops.

2. Apparatus for making a pile fabric, comprising a pile forming conveyor having a series of connected links each link extending transversely across the fabric, said links having flat upper surfaces to support a sheet of pile yarn and having spaces therebetween for receiving pile loops, means feeding a sheet of pile yarns across said yarn supporting surfaces with said links spaced to permit the passage of the yarn downwardly therebetween for forming pile loops, an ejector station above said conveyor, means feeding a series of pile forming wires to said station, ejector means at said station to eject said wires in succession into the space between successive links of said pile forming conveyor for thereby forcing the pile yarn into said spaces to form pile loops, means advancing said pile forming conveyor with said links closed to grip said yarn therebetween and with said upper surfaces forming a support for the pile yarn, means attaching a backing material to the pile yarn while carried on said support, means withdrawing said pile forming wires lengthwise from said loops after said backing has been attached to said loops, and means returning said wires to said ejector conveyor in a continuous cycle.

3. Apparatus for making a pile fabric, comprising a pile forming conveyor having a series of connected links each link extending transversely across the fabric, said links having upper surfaces to support a sheet of pile yarn and having spaces therebetween for receiving pile loops, means feeding a sheet of pile yarns across said yarn supporting surfaces with said links spaced to permit the passage of the yarn downwardly therebetween for forming pile loops, an ejector conveyor carrying a series of pile forming wires extending transversely across and above said pile forming conveyor, ejector means to eject said wires from said ejector conveyor into the space between successive links of said pile forming conveyor for thereby forcing the pile yarn into said spaces to form pile loops, means advancing said pile forming conveyor with said links closed to grip said yarn therebetween and with said upper surfaces forming a support for the pile yarn, means applying a backing material to the pile yarn while carried on said support, a Wire return conveyor disposed alongside of pile forming conveyor and having a lower flight registering with the upper flight of said pile forming conveyor, transfer means to transfer said pile forming wires from said pile forming conveyor onto said lower flight of said wire return conveyor.

4. Apparatus for making pile fabric, comprising a pile forming conveyor having a series of connected links each link extending transversely across the fabric, said links having upper surfaces to support a sheet of pile yarn and having spaces therebetween for receiving pile loops, means feeding a sheet of pile yarns across said yarn supporting surfaces with said links spaced to permit the passage of the yarn downwardly therebetween for forming pile loops, an ejector conveyor carrying a series of pile forming wires extending transversely across and above said pile forming conveyor, ejector means to eject said wires from said ejector conveyor into the space between successive links of said pile forming conveyor for thereby forcing the pile yarn into said spaces to form pile loops, means advancing said pile forming conveyor with said links closed to grip said yarn therebetween and with said upper surfaces forming a support for the pile yarn, means appiying a backing material to the pile yarn while carried on said support, a wire return conveyor disposed alongside of said pile forming conveyor and having a lower flight registering with the upper flight of said pile forming conveyor, transfer means to transfer said pile forming wires from said pile forming conveyor onto said lower flight of said wire return conveyor, said return conveyor having a second flight disposed alongside of said ejector conveyor, and means withdrawing said pile forming wires from said return conveyor and transferring the same to said ejector conveyor.

5. Apparatus for making a pile fabric, comprising a pile forming conveyor having a series of connected links each link extending transversely across the fabric, said links having upper surfaces to support a sheet of pile yarn and having spaces therebetween for receiving pile loops, means feeding a sheet of pile yarns across said yarn supporting surfaces with said links spaced to permit the passage of the yarn downwardly therebetween for forming pile loops, an ejector conveyor carrying a series of pile forming wires extending transversely across and above said pile forming conveyor, ejector means to eject said wires from said ejector conveyor into the space between successive links of said pile forming conveyor for thereby forcing the pile yarn into said spaces to form pile loops, means advancing said pile forming conveyor with said links closed to grip said yarn therebetween and with said upper surfaces forming a support for the pile yarn, means applying a backing material to the pile yarn while carried on said support, a wire return conveyor disposed alongside of said pile forming conveyor and having a lower flight registering with the upper flight of said pile forming conveyor, transfer means to transfer said pile forming wires from said pile forming conveyor onto said lower flight of said wire return conveyor, said return conveyor having a second flight disposed along- 8 side of said ejector conveyor, means withdrawing said pile forming wires from said return conveyor and transferring the same to said ejector conveyor, said return conveyor and said ejector conveyor each comprising a plurality of links adapted to receive said pile forming wires therebetween, said ejector conveyor having a plurality of air passages formed therein, and means to supply air through said air passages for ejecting the pile wires from said ejector conveyor into the space between successive links of said pile forming conveyor.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said transfer means comprises a chain having means to pull successive wires from one conveyor to the second conveyor..

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Banister Aug. 25, 1936 Laing Jan. 22, 1952 

